Chanchullo

"Chanchullo" (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃaɲ.ˈtʃu.jo]; literally: "scam", "racket", "hustle") is a danzón-mambo composed by Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" López. It was first released as a single in 1957 by Arcaño y sus Maravillas. It was the third single released on Cuban independent record label Gema and has been covered by multiple artists including Tito Puente, Típica '73 and Rubén González. Puente himself reworked the song as the successful "Oye cómo va", later recorded by Santana, for which Cachao received no credit.[1] Instrumental versions of the song have been recorded variously under the titles "Mambolandia" and "Mambología", often credited to Peruchín.

For the Rubén González album, see Chanchullo (album).
"Chanchullo"
Single by Orquesta de Arcaño y sus Maravillas
A-side"El que sabe, sabe"
Released1957 (1957)
Recorded1957
GenreDanzón-mambo
LabelGema
Songwriter(s)Israel "Cachao" López

Composition and recordings

The first recording of "Chanchullo" was made in 1949 for RCA Victor by Julio Gutiérrez's orchestra under the title "Mambolandia" and credited to Peruchín, who plays piano on the track. An edited version of "Mambolandia" was included in the 1950 Cuban-Argentine film Off to Havana I Go, specifically for a dancing scene starring María Maceda and Rolando García at the Cabaret Montmartre in Havana.[2][3] This performance was later included in a documentary film on the origin of the mambo produced by Cubavisión.[4] It has been named as one of the most important films involved in spreading mambo.[5]

The first version of "Chanchullo" credited to Cachao was recorded in 1957 by Arcaño y sus Maravillas, one year before their dissolution. For the recording, the group featured composer, bassist and musical director Israel López "Cachao", who had left the group in 1949.[1] Bandleader Antonio Arcaño was no longer performing on flute for health reasons, so Eulogio Ortiz played the flute parts. Like many other 1950s recordings by the Maravillas, this piece likely originated from an earlier composition from the period when Cachao and his brother Orestes composed most of the bands danzones (1937–1950). Most authors agree that "Rareza de Melitón"—first played by the Maravillas in 1942—is the precursor to "Chanchullo".[6][7][8] According to Max Salazar, "Rareza de Melitón" could have been composed as early as 1937,[9] which would make it one of the first examples of danzón-mambo, predating "Mambo" by one year.[8] Most sources assign the authorship of "Rareza de Melitón" to Cachao,[6][7][8] while Helio Orovio credits his brother.[10]

In 1958, Colombian musician Luis Andrés and his orchestra recorded "Chanchullo" under the title "Mambología" for the album Fiesta en París, released by Vergara. In 1960, Rolando Aguiló also recorded "Chanchullo" under the title "Mambología" for his first Cuban Jam Session album issued by Maype. These versions are almost identical to the recording of "Mambolandia" by Julio Gutiérrez. The Panamaian band Máximo Rodríguez y sus Estrellas Panameñas recorded "Chanchullo" under the title "Mambología" for their album Felicidad y bogaloo. Colombian band Séptimo Sentido recorded "Mambología" in 2003 and credited it to Máximo Rodríguez.

Tito Puente recorded "Chanchullo" in 1959, and in 1963 he built on the tune's introduction to compose "Oye cómo va".[6] As shown in the documentary Cachao: Uno más, when asked whether he would sue for his rightful share of the royalties, the notoriously humble Cachao shrugged and said: "You know how kids are".[1][11] On August 4, 1990, Cachao joined Tito Puente on stage for a performance of "Oye cómo va" as part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival.[12] Before the performance, Puente introduced Cachao by saying: "This gentleman is responsible for all the music we play".[12]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."El que sabe, sabe"Ernesto Duarte 
2."Chanchullo"Israel "Cachao" López 

Personnel
  • Antonio Arcaño  – leader
  • Israel "Cachao" López  – musical director, bass
  • Eulogio Ortiz  – flute, soloist
  • Orestes López  – piano
  • Ernesto Duarte  – producer

Cover versions

Discogs and Allmusic list cover versions by several performers:

  • Tito Puente, on the album Mucho Cha-Cha (1959)[13]
  • Gilberto Cruz, on the album Chanchullo (1971)[14]
  • Típica '73, on the album Charangueando con la Típica 73 (1980)[15]
  • Fania All-Stars, on the album Greatest Hits (1992)[16]
  • Olavo Alén Rodríguez Son Ensemble Nos Naranjos, on the album From Afrocuban Music to Salsa (1999)[17]
  • Rubén González, on the album Chanchullo (2000)[18]
  • Joaquín J. Oliveros, on the album De Bala (2000)[19]
  • Somos Amigos, on the album Imagínate Cuba (2005)[20]
  • Charanga Tropical on the album Live! (2006)[21]
  • Buena Vista Social Club, on the album At Carnegie Hall (2008)
  • Cuba Jazz Millennium All Stars, on the album Tributo a Arsenio, Chano Pozo y los Clásicos (2008)[22]
  • Al De Lory, on the album Hot Gandinga (2009)[23]

References
  1. "Cachao: Uno más". American Masters. Public Broadcasting Service. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. Bayón Herrera, Luis (1950). "A La Habana me voy". YouTube (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  3. Vizcaíno, María Argelia. "Raquel y Rolando "Los Reyes del Mambo"". MariaArgeliaVizcaino.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  4. "¿Quién inventó el mambo?". YouTube (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  5. López-Cano, Rubén (2014). "Mambo". In John Shepherd, David Horn (ed.). Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. 9. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 442. doi:10.5040/9781501329210-0003864. ISBN 9781441132253. https://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781501329210-0003864.
  6. Salazar, Max (2002). "Two Centuries of Charanga". Mambo Kingdom - Latin Music in New York. New York: Schirmer Trade Books. p. 78. ISBN 0-8256-7277-5.
  7. Sublette, Ned (2004). Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press. p. 451.
  8. Montenegro Rolon, Orlando Enrique; del Valle Arroyo, Pablo Emilio (2003). "El danzón en México". Huellas: Revista de la Universidad del Norte (in Spanish). 67–68: 81.
  9. Salazar, Max. "Orestes Lopez, brother to Israel Lopez Cachao, and the mambo", Latin Beat Magazine. September 2002. Archived 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Orovio, Helio (2004). Cuban Music from A to Z. Bath, UK: Tumi Music. p. 126. ISBN 9780822385219.
  11. Holley, Jr., Eugene (September 21, 2010). "Cachao: Uno Mas". allaboutjazz.com. All About Jazz. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  12. "Tito Puente Latin Jazz Ensemble & Cachao". YouTube. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  13. "Tito Puente And His Orchestra – Mucho Cha-Cha". discogs.com. 1959. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  14. "Gilberto Cruz – Chanchullo". discogs.com. 1971. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  15. "Tipica '73 – Charangueando Con La Tipica 73". allmusic.com. 1980. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  16. "Fania All-Stars – Greatest Hits". allmusic.com. 1992. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  17. "Olavo Alen Rodriguez – From Afrocuban Music to Salsa". allmusic.com. August 10, 1999. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  18. "Rubén González – Chanchullo". allmusic.com. September 19, 2000. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  19. "Joaquín J. Oliveros – De Bala". allmusic.com. October 3, 2000. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  20. "Somos Amigos – Imagínate Cuba". allmusic.com. March 8, 2005. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  21. "Charanga Tropical – Live!". allmusic.com. October 25, 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  22. "Cuba Jazz Millennium All Stars – Tributo a Arsenio, Chano Pozo y los Clásicos". discogs.com. 2008. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  23. " Al DeLory – Hot Gandinga". allmusic.com. 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
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